Fluid-operated valve mechanism.



J. C. GLENN.

FLUID OPERATED VALVE MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1am. RENEWED JAN. 8, ms.

1,260,184. Pgte11ted Ma1-.19,1918.

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LC.GLENN.

FLUID OPERATED VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I0, 1915- RENEWED JAN. 8, IBM}.

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VIIIIIV who WW UNITED TATES FATENT @FFTQE.

JOHN C. GLENN, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSI'G-NGR TOSKINNER ENGINE COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA; A CORPORATION'OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-OPERATED VALVE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed November 10, 1915; Serial No-.'60,711. Renewed January 8, 1918. Serial no. 210,946.

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it:known that I, JOHN C. GLENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erieand State-of Pennsylvania have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in-Fluid-Operated Valve Mechanisms, of which th'e following is a specification.

This invention relates; to fluidoperated valve mechanisms, and has for its object=to provide an improved mechanism fonoperating valves'by meanso-f fluid pressure which circulates-fluid suchas oil. to andfrom a cylinder orthe like containing api-ston or itsequivalent which is connected to the valve to be operated. In the embodiment shown :the impulses of the-pump are timed according to the work to be doneyin: engine practice according to the cycle-of the engine, thepump being conveniently operated by connection to a moving part of the: e11- gine. For example the mechanism may be used to operate: the exhaustsvalvesz shown in the Skinner-.VilliamsPatent No. 1033280.

In connection with the parts above re ferred to a control is provided,- especially for use inconnection with the SkinnerlVilliams engine referred to, which is -adapted to. permit the eflective action of. the pump when the engine is-running'noncon (lensing, and to prevent said action when the engine is running condensing,the pump being automatically thrown into'or out of action according to the presence or absence of a vacuum.

It may be explained that the SkinnerlVilliams engine above'referred to isof the uniflow type, having middle exhaust ports which are controlled by the 1 piston, and auxiliary exhaust ports controlled by valves,

the latter being located between the middle portsand the ends of the cylinder. WVhen this engine is running non-condensing the valves are operated to open and relieve compression on the return: stroke of the piston. hen the engine is running condensing, there is no need for theoperation of the valves, since the vacuum will prevent or reduce compression on the return stroke. The gear for operating'the valves in said engine is a mechanical one, for which the present mechanism may be substituted, giving in addition an automatic shlft from condensing to non-condensing conditions.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side view of an engine cylinder ofthe kind referred to, provided with the improved'mechanism. Fig. 2 is an 'endview thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on theline 33 of Fig. 1, showing one of the exhaust valves. r Fig. 4L is an enlarged section on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an.

with the usualexhaust pipe 7 oommunicating with the middle exhaust ports, and leading if desired to a condenser. Thispipe also communicates with the supplemental exhaust ports which are controlled'by valves 8 operatingmin cages 9, these valves being of the puppet type as shown for example in. the" patent to lVilliams-Skinner No. 1109807,- instead of the slide valves shown in the patent above mentioned. These valves 8-are lifted'at proper times -in the cycle to let out residual steam. Each valve cageor easing has attached thereto a cylinder l0-containing a piston 11' mounted on the valve stem 12 which reciprocates therewith. Below the piston 5 the cylinder is tapped as shown at 13 for pipe ll which communicates with the pump, and is also tapped above as indicated at 15 for a'return pipe '16 to the pump. A vent 17 isprovided to let ofl leakage around the piston.

- \Vhenpump pressure is applied to the piston 11 it .li-fts' andopens the valve, and when lifted :far enough the return through the 'pipe 1'6 is opened, giving an overflow orreturn circulation to the pump. It will be understood that there is one set of these connections for each valve, in a double acting engine.

The pump comprises a sup-ply well or casing'18, with a pump barrel 19 therein, and apiston 20 in the barrel. The pump is shownof the double acting valveless type, its barrel having inlet ports 21 from the well andoutlet ports 22 connected respectively to the pipes 14 and also, at the'opposite sideof thepump barrel, to by-pass passages 26, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. lVhen the pump piston recipro cates it forces oil in one direction'to one valve,'to open the same, and withdraws it from the other, to permit the latter to close, as well as drawing any excess required through the ports 21. As shown, the pump barrel is at an angle. so that its plunger may be operated directly from the eccentric rod, by means 0]": the piston rod 22 and connection 23 working in a guide 24. This may be varied according to local conditions.

For the vacuum controlof the pump a cylindrical valve casing 25 is cored in the well, at the side of the pump barrel, and this communicates with opposite ends of the barrel through ports or passages 26 which are controlled by a plug valve 27. The casing 25 is closed at the top by a screw plug 28, with an opening through the same connected by .a pipe 29 to the exhaust pipe 7.

When the plug 27 is in its lower position, as in non-condensing operation, it closes the by-passes 26, and when the pump operates, the fluid propelled thereby acts on the valves to operate the same. When the engine is operating condensing, and a suflicient vacuum is drawn, it lifts the valve 27 and opens the by-passes 26. Then, the pump is ineffective, since the fluid will pass back and forth through the by-passes and the valve chamber from one end of the pump barrel to the other, and no operation of the valves will result.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the same principle is applied to the steam inlet valve 30, which is connected to piston 31, in

a cylinder 32. 33 is the inlet from the pump, 34 the outlet or return to the pump, and 35 a vent for leakage. A spring 36 tends to close the valve. When pressure enters below the piston, on one stroke of the pump, the valve is lifted and opened, and seats on the return stroke.

The use of the mechanism is not limited to the machine shown and described, but may be extended to operate valves of any kind.

I claim:

1. In a valve operating mechanism, the combination of a valve, a pump, and a fluid pressure device having a reciprocating member connected to the valve, said device having an inlet from the pump to admit pres sure to said member and a return outlet to the pump opened and closed by the move ment of said member.

2. In a valve operating mechanism, the combination of a valve, a pump, a cylinder having an inlet from the pump and an outlet to the pump, and a piston in the cylinder,

connected to the valve, and movable across said outlet to open and close the same.

3. The combinationwith a steam engine cylinder, of an exhaust valve therefor, a pump for operating said valve, and means Copies of this patent may be obtained for governed by variations of pressure in the exhaust pipe to control the operation of the pump.

4. The combination with a steam engine cylinder, of a normally-closed exhaust valve therefor, a fluid pressure device separate from the cylinder and operatively communieating with the valve to open the same, and means governed by reduction of pressure in the exhaust pipe for preventing the efi'eotive operation of said device on the valve.

5. In a valve operating mechanism for steam engines, the combination with an exhaust valve, of a pump for operating said valve when the engine is running non-condensing, and means governed by vacuum in the exhaust pipe for suspending the effective operation of said pump when the engine is running condensing. v

6. The combination with a steam engine cylinder having main and auxiliary exhaust ports, and a valve controlling the auxiliary port, of a pump for operating said valve when the engine is running non-condensing, and means governed by vacuum in theexhaust pipe for preventing action of the pump on the valve when the engine is running condensing.

7. In a valve operating mechanism for steam engines, the combination with an ex-' haust valve, of a pump for operating said valve, and a valve governed by variations of pressure in the exhaust pipe controlling the efiective action of said'pump on the exhaust valve.

8. In a valve operating mechanism for steam engines, the combination with an exhaust valve, of a pump for operating said valve, a by-pass in the pump, and a control ling valve in the bypass actuated by vacuum in the exhaust pipe and adapted to open said bypass and prevent effective action of the pump on the exhaust valve when the engine is running condensing. V

9. In a valve operating mechanism for steam-engines, the combination with an exhaust valve, of a pump operatively communicating with said valve, a by-pass in the pump, a controlling valve and its casing in the by-pass, and a connection between said casing and the exhaust pipe of the engine, exposing said controlling valve to vacuum in the exhaust pipe, to open the'same and stop the action of the pump onthe exhaust valve when vacuum exists.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. GLENN.

WVitnesses BARRETT S. Bnanvnnn,

HARRY G. ADAM.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

